buttah's HCG journal.

[buttah]

Hunger has, appropriately I believe (does anyone agree?) struck at 10am, when I woke up before 7 and have not had a bite. So I just had a WASA and am now drinking some green tea. Trying to comfortably delay lunch until a time that will allow me to comfortably delay dinner until a time that will allow me to comfortably get to sleep.

If the WASA doesn't do it, I'll go to the apple or grapefruit. If that doesn't do it... I don't know.

[sunday]

I rarely ever eat bread, and only occasionally eat whole grains bread on UD and even then I can live without it if not needed.
I finally found Flackers at my whole foods store and will let you know how I like them. I get excited over healthy crackers and especially anything that is low cal, low carb and healthy! It is made with flaxseeds and has 18 cals per cracker. There is no yeast, gluten, rice and no sugar added. Flackers are a delicious, crunchy snack, low in carbohydrates, and high in omega-3 fatty acids. So, it may be an option as well.

Doctor in the Kitchen Flackers

You know, when I did the protocol, I ate lunch early and dinner at 5 almost every single day. I sometimes had a snack around 8 pm of berries or cukes, but tried my best to forgo anything after dinner.

[Stevie Renee]

Originally Posted by buttah

Hi Stevie! Thanks for stopping by (although I embarrassed at all the neurosis I let hang in this joint, you know?).

Yes, I paid for 6 Skypes I think (don't have it in front of me).

I think I'm driving the personnel at my clinic nuts talking about Robin, but finding her was like a revelation for me (before I started HCG). The one time in my life that I lost and kept off weight (the extra 20 I had) was in my 20's with a Hunger Scale method (it was called Thin Within, in the SF Bay Area. Very similar, but none of the science.) And I stayed there until my pregnancies, which are what got me where I am today (or where I was back in February.)

Are you one of those who buys HCG on the internet and mixes and all that? That scares me to death, but... it is starting to get less scary.

How many rounds have you done?

I did buy from the net but not until many of the ladies I hang with on another site, bought it, tested it and did their rounds. I had a lot of good help to figure it out. I also bought cheap pregnancy tests to test it.

This is my 8th round but truth be told, my first & second round were the best - the rest were redos to get rid of regains. It seems like the last 2 years I have had a lot of interruptions and I always gain in the summer.

In all actuality, I didnt even really do real rounds but cycles after round 2. Some of the rounds were total failures!

This is the only weight loss plan that has effectively worked for me at this age.

[buttah]

Gotcha, Stevie. Everyone is different, but if I ended up doing eight rounds, successful or failed, I'm not sure I will consider HCG a successful weight loss plan for me. Two rounds max, or I'm going back to JUDDD for good. But that's just me!

Sunday, I will check out those Flackers. I just like saying it. Flackers!

[buttah]

Sunday, Flackers are available on Amazon. Are all the flavors equally healthy as far as what's in them? Have you tried any others?

I rarely eat bread in my "real life," but on HCG I've been desperate for something to get rid of hunger immediately, and that's what does it fastest. If I can lick the hunger issue, I'll probably start skipping it. She said, knowing a short round is already half over. Yikes.

[Stevie Renee]

Originally Posted by buttah

Gotcha, Stevie. Everyone is different, but if I ended up doing eight rounds, successful or failed, I'm not sure I will consider HCG a successful weight loss plan for me. Two rounds max, or I'm going back to JUDDD for good. But that's just me!

Sunday, I will check out those Flackers. I just like saying it. Flackers!

I understand your point of view. I just don't lose like I do on HCG. Crazy.

I am on another board often and there are ladies and gents who do so many rounds. Like 12 to 14 or more...I hope I am not up that high some day! lol

[buttah]

Stevie, I'm curious what board that is. Is it the one with "info" in the title?

Here's an update, with a bit of redundancy from what I posted in the main HCG forum, but I'm rushing:

8/30 - 169.5 LOAD DAY 1
8/31 - ??? LOAD DAY 2
9/01 - VLCD1 172.8 +3.3 after loading
9/02 - VLCD2 169.5 -3.3 (lost all of loading)
9/03 - VLCD3 167.1 -2.4 (-5.7 from load w)
9/04 - VLCD4 165.8 -1.3 (-6 from load w, 3.7 from pre-load)
9/05 - VLCD5 165.1 -0.7 (-4.4 from pre-load)
9/06 - VLCD6 164.1 -1.0 (-5.4 from pre-load)
9/07 - VLCD7 164.0 -.1 (-5.5 from pre-load) REALLY? (injected 125iu)
9/08 - VLCD8 163.0 -1.0 (-6.5 from pre-load) HAPPY scale
9/09 - VLCD9 163.? (can't remember, possibly up .4 or STS)
9/10 - VLCD10 163 (back to 150iu, better day hunger wise)
9/11 - VLCD11 162.8 -.2(may amend at regular weigh-in time, but don't want to forget)
9/12 - VLCD12 161.4 -1.4 (SM tea helped)

Another note that may help some: Robin had told me about Vitamin Water Zero, but I was mostly avoiding it due to the 4 carbs (though 0 calories) per bottle. It's loaded with vitamins, B12 and electrolytes, though, and she's found it's helpful for patients. Well, last night I woke up in the middle of night with a pounding headache, and for some reason, Vitamin Water Zero sounded good (and I had only had one "bread" anyway that day). I drank a tall glass, mixed with water. Voila, woke up this morning with headache GONE! There was something in there that my body needed.

I'm out of injections at 150iu, so I've either got to wait until the clinic opens at 10, or do one 125 syringe + .05 ml from a second 125 syringe. Not even sure that's possible, but I'm going to take a look.

Often when I get a good loss after SM tea I get nothing or a lousy loss the next day, which makes be believe the tea depletes my body of water, only to grab back onto it the next day. We'll see. I hope not!

[sunday]

Sounds like you have the hcg losses working for you now! How is your hunger today? Hope it has become manageable! Also, are you doing 30 days or less?

The flackers will take some getting used to. They are not the best I have had, but they are healthy, so I will continue to work with them. Not sure how to describe the taste? I have "savory flavor" and they may be much better with some dip or even salsa.

[buttah]

Hunger is better, but still not great. I also feel a bit weak muscle-wise. Tempted to ask to try 166iu, but not sure what to do. Talking to Robin in 30 minus; we'll see what she thinks.

Question about 99% FF ground turkey. My clinic says it can interfere with HCG (something in turkey - possibly tryptophan) and cause water retention. Robin has it allowed on her protocol. I've had it about three times and wondering if caused my previous stall. Although I don't really believe the scale's number is a direct reflection of what you ate the day before and never will.

Thoughts?

I guess my losses are okay. I certainly wasn't expecting a 3 day stall at the beginning of week two!!!

[christyb]

Looks like you've broken through! And you sound like you feel better too!

Curious to hear what Robin has to say today!

[buttah]

We had to reschedule. Missed signals via email. Stay tuned. Christyb, do you eat 99% ground lean turkey breast? And do you ever use lean ground beef? The leanest I can find (grass fed) is 93%. I bought it, but I'm nervous.

[sunday]

I am a bit conflicted about stalls. I know that I have read that turkey, water packed white tuna, shrimp, cabbage, tomatoes, & any of the allowed fruits can cause *some* folks to stall. I had a stall around my 2nd week and I know that I have seen many others have stalls around day 11. Especially when they are losing well.

I remember having turkey while on protocol and didn't seem to stall.

Hope you get to talk to Robin.

[buttah]

8/30 - 169.5 LOAD DAY 1
8/31 - ??? LOAD DAY 2
9/01 - VLCD1 172.8 +3.3 after loading
9/02 - VLCD2 169.5 -3.3 (lost all of loading)
9/03 - VLCD3 167.1 -2.4 (-5.7 from load w)
9/04 - VLCD4 165.8 -1.3 (-6 from load w, 3.7 from pre-load)
9/05 - VLCD5 165.1 -0.7 (-4.4 from pre-load)
9/06 - VLCD6 164.1 -1.0 (-5.4 from pre-load)
9/07 - VLCD7 164.0 -0.1 (-5.5 from pre-load) (injected 125iu)
9/08 - VLCD8 163.0 -1.0 (-6.5 from pre-load)
9/09 - VLCD9 163.? (can't remember, possibly up .4 or STS)
9/10 - VLCD10 163 (back to 150iu, better day hunger wise)
9/11 - VLCD11 162.8 -0.2
9/12 - VLCD12 161.4 -1.4 (SM tea helped)
9/13 - VLCD13 161.4 STS (predicted post-SM tea "stall")

A few questions for you veterans:

1. 8 lbs from pre-load weight in 13 vlcds, by far the most in the first week. Is this "normal?" Does the third week pick up?

2. Per Robin, I had a bit less than 1/4 cup cottage cheese this morning. Making it from dinner one night to lunch the next day has been my biggest issue by far, and if I can do this, I will make it through the round. Robin said to use low fat (a bit more fat, less sugar and carb) rather than non fat (a bit less fat, more sugar/carb). Given that I don't eat beef much at all and only eat low fat proteins, I decided to try the low fat. Feel like I can cruise to lunch time now!! I hope this doesn't hurt me. My plan is to eliminate the Wasa crisp light calories for these calories (about the same) and see what happens. At least the CC is nutritious calories. And for teh 1/4 cup, it was only 1 gr of fat. I may eat a bit less protein for lunch or dinner. We'll see. Anyone ever tried cottage cheese?

3. And you guys who skip the lousy "bread" allowances - what do you replace the calories with? Without them, especially if I skip a fruit (which I also like to avoid), I'm coming in under 500 every time (once in the 300's - so I had the dang "bread," even though it does nothing for me) - and I NEED those calories!
__________________

[sunday]

I think 8 lbs is great and if you were to keep losing at this rate, you will lose 18 lbs in 30 days! I know some people lose lots more, but most of the time they have a lot to lose. Men are notorious for losing faster on hcg as well. I introduced my aunts & cousins to the protocol back in 09 and my cousins who were pretty close to goal weight said they lost 20 lbs in 30 days. One who was a bit larger lost 25 lbs, but I still say that is exceptional!

I tried 2% cottage cheese in my strawberry protein shakes for a snack or in place of lunch now and then. I am still worried about your hunger, but I guess it is becoming less? Does it strike Robin as strange that you are still hungry?

[buttah]

Robin and I are about to Skype. Haven't for a week, so we'll see what she says.

Hunger IS better, with a couple difficult periods - late at night and before lunch.

How much cottage cheese did you use in those shakes? I guess I had 1/2 a Simeon's protein serving with a 1/4 cup (as one cup is 119gr).

Sunday, I forget - did you count the calories? Did you have the breads or replace those calories with something else?

Thanks so much for "hanging out" with me!

[sunday]

Originally Posted by buttah

I think you are going to start feeling great and may begin to experience the protocol "high"!

I had a 1/2 cup and about 10 berries, plus I added protein when I subbed for a meal. I know it is rogue, but the experienced gang was doing that back then.

Not really, but I pretty much just ate 7 oz of protein with a handful of veggies each day, so I knew on ****** that it didn't amount to much if it went over the 500 cals.

!

I am enjoying hanging here! I am thrilled that you are journalling because it does help others who are trying to do this. I have a close friend who needs to get back on protocol, that is trying to lose weight for a wedding. She tried injections and lost well, but is wanting to try the pellets next. I hope to be able to coach and guide her from what I have experienced and learned from other LCF!

[christyb]

Originally Posted by buttah

We had to reschedule. Missed signals via email. Stay tuned. Christyb, do you eat 99% ground lean turkey breast? And do you ever use lean ground beef? The leanest I can find (grass fed) is 93%. I bought it, but I'm nervous.

I eat almost no meat besides beef. For some reason when I'm on protocol chicken grosses me out. I only want beef. I don't know the exact fat content because I buy it from a farmer, but it is organic/grassfed.

I've never done turkey.

[buttah]

Well, I am having beef tonight baby (poured out all the fat or wiped with a paper towel), because I stupidly (never again) had shrimp for lunch, and do you know what it feels like in my stomach ten minutes later? AIR.

I did not weigh today (thank you Robin), but probably will tomorrow.

Did the 1/4 cup of cottage cheese again mid-morning, but this time non fat instead of low fat. Hopefully won't kill me.

But I was starting to cruise until that dang shrimp.

I keep forgetting to post in here, as I've been posting in the Labor Day and P2 threads. My Robin recaps are in there. I'll try to cut and paste, but it was SO MUCH info and insight it's really hard to share it all. Definitely calmed me down!

How are you doing?

[buttah]

8/30 - 169.5 LOAD DAY 1
8/31 - ??? LOAD DAY 2
9/01 - VLCD1 172.8 +3.3 after loading
9/02 - VLCD2 169.5 -3.3 (lost all of loading)
9/03 - VLCD3 167.1 -2.4 (-5.7 from load w)
9/04 - VLCD4 165.8 -1.3 (-6 from load w, 3.7 from pre-load)
9/05 - VLCD5 165.1 -0.7 (-4.4 from pre-load)
9/06 - VLCD6 164.1 -1.0 (-5.4 from pre-load)
9/07 - VLCD7 164.0 -0.1 (-5.5 from pre-load) (injected 125iu)
9/08 - VLCD8 163.0 -1.0 (-6.5 from pre-load)
9/09 - VLCD9 163.? (can't remember, possibly up .4 or STS)
9/10 - VLCD10 163 (back to 150iu, better day hunger wise)
9/11 - VLCD11 162.8 -0.2
9/12 - VLCD12 161.4 -1.4 (SM tea helped)
9/13 - VLCD13 161.4 STS (predicted post-SM tea "stall")
9/14 - VLCD14 STS is my guess
9/15 - VLCD15 160.7 -0.7

I'll journal more later, but I think my average is .6 a day, not counting load weight. I think that's okay. My little half hard-boiled eggs and occasional cottage cheese don't seem to be hurting. Hunger is still manageable. Not gone (I WISH!), but manageable.

[sunday]

So glad to check in and see the loss! Manageable is the word!

I am JUDDDing and happy, but would be thrilled to shake the rest of my weight with another plan. Just too frightened to get off of the JUDDD train!

[buttah]

And Sunday, I'm missing JUDDD! You're a bit closer than I am to goal - I say stick with what you're doing. Although I'm not one to talk. Since Feb I've done calorie counting/low carb, Dukan, Juddd and now HCG. I feel boredom leads to slacking, and slacking leads to not losing!

I like my clinic's version of P3 - it's graduated and not a free for all. They give guidelines for how much fat and which other fruits and veggies to add and when. I think after I stop HCG and stabilize, I will return to JUDDD. My only question is how long to do HCG. Right now, I think I want to go longer than 23 days. But I haven't been skipping a dose every week. My clinic hasn't had any issues with people doing 40-ish days and not skipping.

We'll see!

[buttah]

And OMG, 150's here I come! Haven't been there since I got pregnant the first time! (That pregnancy ended tragically late, I had already gained, and went on to have a full term pregnancy without losing that weight, gained again... then didn't lose THAT weight and got pregnant with my second son. All but 10 pounds of my weight is from being pregnant. And I've waited 16 years to take care of it.

Better late than never.

[buttah]

Okay, haven't weighed yet, but I had to journal about shopping yesterday.

My favorite new thing to do is try on old clothes in my closest. Amazing what 10-ish pounds can do to zippers and buttons.

Anyway, I was returning some shoes yesterday at Nordies, so I decided to try on some clothes... and stuff was fitting and looking good that I wouldn't even have tried on a few weeks (or months). I put two little black leather jackets on hold, both a little tight on purpose, but zip-able. (In jeans, I've lately been a 10, sometimes 8 in certain brands, but thanks to what God gave me to carry around on my chest, still a L or XL in fitted jackets.) Well, hallelujah, HCG gave some back, and now I'm more of a M/L. My HCG losses seem to be mostly from my neck, high waist, belly, arms, boobs and torso.

I think I've finally relaxed a little bit, too. I'm sure you all noticed I came to this protocol a bit stressed out. Well, I was at the tail end of an intense deadline with my work. That's past, and I'll be "off" for a few weeks. If only we could always put life on hold while attacking weight loss.

[buttah]

Ooops. Forgot this:

8/30 - 169.5 LOAD DAY 1
8/31 - ??? LOAD DAY 2
9/01 - VLCD1 172.8 +3.3 after loading
9/02 - VLCD2 169.5 -3.3 (lost all of loading)
9/03 - VLCD3 167.1 -2.4 (-5.7 from load w)
9/04 - VLCD4 165.8 -1.3 (-6 from load w, 3.7 from pre-load)
9/05 - VLCD5 165.1 -0.7 (-4.4 from pre-load)
9/06 - VLCD6 164.1 -1.0 (-5.4 from pre-load)
9/07 - VLCD7 164.0 -0.1 (-5.5 from pre-load) (injected 125iu)
9/08 - VLCD8 163.0 -1.0 (-6.5 from pre-load)
9/09 - VLCD9 163.? (can't remember, possibly up .4 or STS)
9/10 - VLCD10 163 (back to 150iu, better day hunger wise)
9/11 - VLCD11 162.8 -0.2
9/12 - VLCD12 161.4 -1.4 (SM tea helped)
9/13 - VLCD13 161.4 STS (predicted post-SM tea "stall")
9/14 - VLCD14 STS is my guess
9/15 - VLCD15 160.7 -0.7
9/16 - VLCD16 160.3 -0.4

Not bad. I want to see the 150's tomorrow. Please?

[sunday]

Hola! Buttah! Yes, I love trying on clothes!!! Oh, I bet you are having fun! It is good to see you feeling better and enjoying the protocol. My doctor had me on 30 day rounds and he was willing to let me do 60 days straight before stabilizing in P3. I look back on it and feel that I probably should have stopped at 45 days and then had one more 30 day round after P3.

I remember the whole inches lost being phenomenal on Hcg! I used to order clothes online especially my jeans, the funny thing... by the time I got the package I only wore them a week and then I was off to buy the next size down! I really do miss that feeling!

You know, with JUDDD, it has been so slow that I truly don't even realize that I have gone down a size until one day, I am wearing my smaller clothes. It is slow, but steady. I do love JUDDD! I just had a 3 day UUAD marathon celebrating with friends and way over my calories (didn't count) but I guesstimate by the type of decadence and I am already down the weight gain with one great DD yesterday.

[buttah]

Sunday, my clinic's max is 43 days, BUT they don't people skip injection days. Said I could if I wanted to, but they haven't had issues. Was just perusing their stablization phase and was so happy to see that it's gradual and not a free-for-all. I see so many people on the HCG forum posting about concerns about "all those fats" in P3 and diving right into unlimited fat. Not a good idea.

Anyway..

8/30 - 169.5 LOAD DAY 1
8/31 - ??? LOAD DAY 2
9/01 - VLCD1 172.8 +3.3 after loading
9/02 - VLCD2 169.5 -3.3 (lost all of loading)
9/03 - VLCD3 167.1 -2.4 (-5.7 from load w)
9/04 - VLCD4 165.8 -1.3 (-6 from load w, 3.7 from pre-load)
9/05 - VLCD5 165.1 -0.7 (-4.4 from pre-load)
9/06 - VLCD6 164.1 -1.0 (-5.4 from pre-load)
9/07 - VLCD7 164.0 -0.1 (-5.5 from pre-load) (injected 125iu)
9/08 - VLCD8 163.0 -1.0 (-6.5 from pre-load)
9/09 - VLCD9 163.? (can't remember, possibly up .4 or STS)
9/10 - VLCD10 163 (back to 150iu, better day hunger wise)
9/11 - VLCD11 162.8 -0.2
9/12 - VLCD12 161.4 -1.4 (SM tea helped)
9/13 - VLCD13 161.4 STS (predicted post-SM tea "stall")
9/14 - VLCD14 STS is my guess
9/15 - VLCD15 160.7 -0.7
9/16 - VLCD16 160.3 -0.4
9/17 - VLCD17 160.0

REALLY???? SERIOUSLY????? WHAT DOES A GIRL HAVE TO DO TO HIT THE 150's? I think I know the answer... poop. I can't keep drinking SM tea. Have tried taking magnesium that is separate from calcium (albeit just last night, and I'm not sure the correct amount - can you take too much magnesium?). In the past, I took psyllium husk every day, but I don't want to add that bulk to my gut right now.

But... plugging along. I think I better stop buying clothes, but I'm tempted. All my tops are too big. And I'm leaning heavily toward a 40 day round. One HCG round. That's it.

[Kissa]

I'm lurking here Buttah, fingers crossed for the 150s for you.

[buttah]

Hi Kissa!!!!!! Thanks for visiting. I'm constantly promoting JUDDD on the HCG forum, and 100% committed to coming back to it. Probably for life. So nice to hear from you!

[Seabreezes]

I've been following you too, as I felt I got to "know" you on JUDDD. I TAKE 3 to 4 psyllium capsules and then a magnesium before bed. It seems to really help and I think most of it all comes out!

Hope you get all of the weight off that you want to lose this way.......

[buttah]

Hi Seabreezes!!! It's funny - the psyllium capsules never worked for me. I wish they would have, as I hate having to drink it. Going to try magnesium citrate today.

I have to report to all of you, that my hunger is gone. I mean I want my meals and small snacks, but I am not starving. That just wasn't right. Now it's working great, and I'm soooo content.

And while it is extreme (as a WOE) I needed this pace for now. I really, really did. It's done wonders for my mood.